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Showbiz Tonight
"Hunger Games" Crisis?; Is Miley Cyrus Engaged?; Kardashian Flour Bomb About Face; Camille Grammer Says Goodbye
Aired March 26, 2012 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - hunger crisis? A record-breaking opening weekend. Pandemonium. But are the stars of "The Hunger Games" ready for worldwide fame?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don`t know what`s going to be different and you don`t know if you`re going to like it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Are the now world famous stars already in crisis? Tonight, "Hunger Games" star, Wes Bentley, tells all in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Is Miley getting married? Tonight, 19-year-old Miley Cyrus shows off a big, old sparkler, but did her "Hunger Games" boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth really put a ring on it?
Kardashian flour bomb about face. Explosive new reports that Kim Kardashian may press charges after a woman stunned Kim with a flour shower. Will the red carpet powder stunt land the woman in jail? The SHOWBIZ flashpoint - should Kim Kardashian press charges against the flour bomber?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with big news breaking tonight, "The Hunger Games" fame crisis?
Well, the movie has sparked a worldwide phenomenon bringing in more than $155 million in its opening weekend and launching its young stars into instant, intense fame.
It is a Hollywood dream come true for some, but for these young stars the spotlight is bringing more than they bargained for. Do they have a full- fledged fame crisis on their hands?
The "Hunger Games" star Wes Bentley knows all too well about the possible pitfalls of Hollywood. He first hit it big with an outstanding performance in an Oscar-winning movie, "American Beauty," a very promising start that got sidetracked and almost ended his Hollywood dream.
He worked things out, and now "The Hunger Games" is giving Wes an incredible second chance. He`s entering this chapter with his eyes wide open.
But is he worried for his cast mates who are dealing with one of the biggest film blockbusters ever? I`m so pleased to have Wes with me right now from Hollywood for this SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Great to have you here, Wes and congratulations on a massive opening weekend.
WES BENTLEY, ACTOR: Thanks for having me, A.J. It`s a pleasure to be on the show.
HAMMER: And when you look at these numbers, Wes, I mean, what a remarkable showing, making history, only following "Harry Potter" and "Dark Knight" for the biggest openings ever.
Even though the predictions were huge, we spoke with some of your co-stars and they seemed nervous about expecting too much from the opening weekend. But you`ve got to tell me, when the numbers came in, did you at least maybe privately do a little dance?
BENTLEY: Yes. Yes. I mean, it was really exciting. Even though you see the numbers and you hear all the hype, you don`t know until Sunday really what it`s going to be like.
And you know, you hope it`s great, but then to see something that happened, it`s - yes, you`re naturally excited because it`s also something you`re really proud of.
HAMMER: And I`m so pleased for you in particular because I was a huge fan of the movie, "American Beauty." I`m still a fan of that film. I encourage anybody who hasn`t seen it to run out and grab a copy of it.
And that`s when you were really first thrust into the spotlight with your starring role in the film. But at that time, I know the fame was more than you could handle. What happened?
BENTLEY: Well, you know, I was 21 when the film came out, and it was more - it was more of an unexpected thing because "American Beauty" didn`t have the sort of hype that "The Hunger Games" had in front of it.
I mean, no one knew what it was. And in particular, my role really moved people spiritually and emotionally. And I think I wasn`t ready for what I sensed is sort of the responsibility, and also responsibility to follow that up.
And I turned to the wrong things. I turned away from my family, who - I have an amazing family and I turned away from them. And I turned towards sort of a different - you know, the wrong choice, which is falling into myself and into the vices of L.A.
HAMMER: Well, fortunately, for everybody who has seen "The Hunger Games" for yourself and your family, you figured things out.
And of course, you went into "Hunger Games" knowing the attention was going to be massive. So did the idea of just how much attention that was about to come your way scare you?
BENTLEY: You know, it didn`t scare me. Maybe part of that is because I had experienced what I experienced with "American Beauty." But also, I`m more mature now and have been in the business for a long time.
And I kind of understand what it is, you know. And I don`t take it too seriously, meaning I don`t take the idea that I`m bigger than something so seriously or that it`s that, you know, big of a deal really in the whole scheme of things in the world.
And I just kind of take it with a sense of humor and also absorb it, you know, because I`m proud of it because it`s good work.
HAMMER: It`s great to hear. Well, we spoke with Jennifer Lawrence, who, of course, you co-star with in "The Hunger Games."
She just sat down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, and Nischelle asked her if she was ready for the next level of stardom that comes with a movie like this.
Of course, she`s younger than you are, sort of at the age that you were when things first took off in "American Beauty." Watch what he she told us about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER LAWRENCE, ACTRESS: I know it`s coming. I don`t know if I`m ready.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: What`s the fear or the anticipation? What is that?
LAWRENCE: You`re just afraid of what`s going to change. You don`t know what`s going to be different. You don`t know if you`re going to like it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And you`ve said that you didn`t give Jennifer advice on handling fame because you thought that she seems to be prepared for it in a way that perhaps you weren`t all those years ago.
But Wes, do you worry for the other young stars who are being thrust into the kind of a spotlight that a blockbuster like "The Hunger Games" brings? You have such perspective on that now.
BENTLEY: Yes. I mean, naturally I do just out of the - just out of the whole what it is fame, you know. You`re right in the attention, in everyone` attention, especially nowadays that the - with TMZ and all the cameras out there.
They follow your every move. And so, yes, I mean, actually, I worry about them because it`s a big change in your life. And I did reach out to them. I didn`t give advice, but I reached out to them and said if you ever want to talk to somebody who might have an idea of what you`re talking about, I`m here.
And that`s part of it. Part of it is that, you know, a lot of the people that are around you, that love you and care for you, who you should turn to, they don`t always know specifically what you`re feeling.
And so it`s good to have some people out there who are understanding of that and that you can turn to. But I only worry about them in the sense that it`s naturally a difficult thing to go through.
HAMMER: Sure.
BENTLEY: But in particular, Jen is - I don`t know. I feel like she`s really built for it, meaning she has the right kind of people around her and she`s a solid person already.
HAMMER: Well, it`s great for the other stars that they at least have you to turn to should they need to at any point having through it all.
Something you said a few moments ago struck me. It`s been interesting watching all the comments in on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook fan page. Everybody is just loving the movie. That`s no surprise to you.
But let me read to you one of the common messages that`s coming up on the wall. This one says, "My girls read `Harry Potter` and the `Twilight` books and watched the movies. And they say `Hunger Games` beats them all. Now, I`ve got to read it," referring to "The Hunger Games."
So parents and their teens and tweens clearly big fans of the movie. You talked about responsibility before. Do you now feel some degree of new pressure knowing that all of these young kids and new young fans are now going to be following your every move?
BENTLEY: Well, certainly. I mean, I`m a dad, so I have a 16-month-old and I already feel that kind of responsibility to set an example and behave in a way that I want him to behave.
And I kind of feel the same way about the young fans of "The Hunger Games." You know, I`d want to, you know, be a good example to them and be an example of someone who can, despite having their problems and making mistakes, also being able to come out of the other end. And so, you know, I certainly feel that responsibility.
HAMMER: It`s funny.
BENTLEY: I`m glad to have it.
HAMMER: Well, I`ve heard you say where you want to make choices that make your son proud. I believe your son is one years old. I think that`s -
BENTLEY: Yes.
HAMMER: If you do it for him, then it`s going to work for everybody else. But listen, Wes, as we talk about the fame and stardom that comes along with these movies, to me, nothing lays it out ever than having a Facebook page dedicated to your beard.
It is wacky. It is sinister. It is sophisticated. But I have to ask you on behalf of the thousands of you Facebook beard followers, how pleased are you that the beard has its own fan base?
BENTLEY: I am so jealous of that beard. It gets so much attention. No. I mean, it`s awesome. It`s such a cool beard.
I mean, Venial(ph) did an amazing job with it and she really defined who Seneca was in this world, this Capitol world. You know, he really had to stand out because he`s a bit of a celebrity and -
HAMMER: The beard does it.
BENTLEY: She did that the first day, and I was like wow, that`s perfect.
HAMMER: Well, I have to put this up for you, because obviously fans have been posting pictures like this. I was put under a degree of pressure to try on the Seneca Crane beard. Can we do it?
There we go. All right. A quick comment before I let you go, Wes. I mean, should we never show that picture again?
BENTLEY: Oh, you look better than I do.
HAMMER: Oh, stop. Wes Bentley, great having you here.
BENTLEY: You look good.
HAMMER: Congratulations, again, on all the success of the film and we look forward to the next films. You can check out "Hunger Games" now in theaters nationwide. Thank you so much.
BENTLEY: A.J., thanks for having me.
HAMMER: You got it. All right. We`ve got to move tonight to Madonna`s daughter caught smoking. This is not a good example.
Tonight, the shocking new images of Madonna`s 15-year-old daughter, Lourdes, caught with a cigarette in her hand. The great debate, should Madonna even be shocked by this?
Miley getting married? Could it be? Brand-new photos sparked a firestorm of reports that Miley`s man, Liam Hemsworth, put a ring on it. Is it true? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the Miley marriage mystery tonight.
And Jessica Simpson as Lucille Ball? Brand-new reports say she`s about to remake the TV classic, "I Love Lucy." Jessica, you`ve got some explaining to do. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And this is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Jimmy Kimmel to host the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards. Ralph Fiennes gives advice to "Hunger Games" stars on how to handle franchise fame!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RALPH FIENNES, ACTOR: It`s important to keep your feet on the ground. The media attention is also something to be handled very skillfully. You`ve got to surround yourself with people you can rely on and trust.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: A dramatic tribute to Trayvon Martin. Lebron James just tweeted this incredible photo of himself and his NBA team, The Miami Heat, all wearing hoodies in support for the family of Trayvon Martin.
The 17-year-old was gunned down in Miami a month ago today. Lebron and the Heat just one example of the many celebrities who are showing their support for Trayvon`s family. Thousands gathered at a protest late today in Tampa, Florida, where young Trayvon was killed.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, the new Whitney tribute. You`ve got to check this out. It`s so cool.
A tribute to Whitney Houston played out on a San Francisco street on Friday night in the form of a flash mob dancing to Whitney`s huge hit, "I Want to Dance with Somebody."
The group assembled barely a day after the singer`s official cause of death was revealed. So it begs the question, will Whitney`s legacy be her music or her battle with drugs?
Now, her family and friends are doing their best to make sure that people remember the very best of Whitney. One of Whitney Houston`s most trusted friends, Ellin Lavar, was more than just her hairstylist.
And in an exclusive interview with CNN`s legal analyst, Sunny Hostin, Ellin reveals when she saw the change in Whitney, and why she hopes the singer`s fans don`t dwell on Whitney Houston`s trouble.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELLIN LAVAR, WHITNEY HOUSTON`S HAIRDRESSER AND FRIEND: The Whitney that I saw on the "Waiting to Exhale" set was under a lot more pressure. I think she began to struggle more.
It was a little harder for her to concentrate on getting to the set when she should be on the set. I think there was a lot more of the Bobby issues around that time.
So I think she was dealing with a lot more of the struggle with the fame, motherhood, and having a husband. I think it`s hard to do all of that.
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Now, Whitney herself said during that time that the drug use was pretty bad.
LAVAR: Right.
HOSTIN: Do you remember seeing that in Whitney?
LAVAR: I didn`t see the actual drug use. I saw the effects of it. And -
HOSTIN: What do you mean by that?
LAVAR: Well, there was a person that was with her that was encouraging her, that worked with her, that would -
HOSTIN: Encouraged her it to use drugs?
LAVAR: I think encouraged her to be more involved in it, yes. I remember, you know, one of the most touching parts - moments for us was - I came to her house one day to do her hair, and I couldn`t find her.
And I said to someone in the house - I said, "Where`s Whitney?" And they`re like, "She`s in the pool house." So I went down to the pool house, and she`s sitting at the - you know, like the bar on one of those barstools, like, you know, I guess for the pool parties if you have pool parties.
And I walk in, and I was like, "What are you doing out here?" And she turned around to me, and she just - she was sitting on the stool and I was standing up. She laid her head on my chest and just busted out crying.
And I had no idea. I just held her. And all I could think of was the pressure that this girl has to go down to the pool house to sit there. And she wasn`t doing any drugs. There was no alcohol. There was no one there.
She needed a moment of peace to herself. And I walked in just, I guess, at that moment that she needed to try to, you know, get herself together.
I`m sorry. I`m trying not to cry. But from the day that she did that, I could never leave her. I could never leave her, because she was so - I guess, so just tired, you know?
She had said to me, you know, she was tired. She wanted to take a break and stuff. I`m like, "You should. You should. Whether you sing or not, I`m going to be here. That doesn`t matter. I`ll still do your hair. It doesn`t matter. I don`t care what you do, but take the break if that`s what you need."
HOSTIN: What do you want people to know about the Whitney Houston that you knew?
LAVAR: She was genuine. She was a genuine human being. And her struggle doesn`t define her, and I don`t think that, you know - we don`t sit around talking about Elvis Presley and what drugs he did.
People go to Graceland because of the great things that he did, the great musician he was. And I want her to be remembered the same way. She was a wonderful, excellent musician and songstress. And remember the beauty of that voice that she gave us the pleasure of hearing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And there was no question when Whitney Houston sang, just incredible music to our ears. That was CNN legal analyst, Sunny Hostin, for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
As we move on tonight, caught red-handed. We`re talking about Madonna`s 15-year-old daughter, Lourdes, with a cigarette in her hand. Look at her, just 15 years old.
Well, Madonna smokes in her latest music video. So you have to wonder, should Madonna at all even be shocked that her daughter is lighting up?
Is Kim Kardashian stirring up a lawsuit against the flour bomber? She may have laughed off the half-baked attack. But tonight, there is brand-new evidence that she hasn`t dusted off the incident just yet. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
It is time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Tori Spelling and husband Dean McDermott expecting fourth child! Season five premiere of "Mad Men" earns 3.5 million viewers in most watched episode ever.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TIM TEBOW, NFL QUARTERBACK: Me and Mark have a great relationship. We have had a good relationship for the last three years, I think. We`ve been friends, and we`ve texted back and forth. We`ve talked already.
And you know, we`re going to have a great relationship and a great working relationship. And I think we`ll have a lot of fun together.
HAMMER: Feud? What feud? Tebow-mania officially arrived in New York City this morning. Tim Tebow was introduced for the first time as a New York Jet.
Tebow was quick to shoot down reports of tension between him and New York Jets starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez.
SHOWBIZ trending. Justin Bieber just released his new single, "Boyfriend," today. And he`s singing. He`s rapping. He`s even got some falsetto going on, kind of like Justin Timberlake.
Check this out. This was just posted on his Web site, JustinBieber.com.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Oh, yes. The next step in the evolution of the Justin Bieber sound. He`s actually sounding all grown up.
Joining me now from Atlanta, entertainment reporter, Jenn Hobby who is also the co-host of radio`s "The Bert Show."
So Jenn, Bieber is 18 now, a long way from his "Baby, Baby" days. And this really is a critical point, of course, for him as an artist.
As you know, he`s got a show that he really can be a true adult artist at this point. Just hearing this single, do you think he`s done it?
JENN HOBBY, CO-HOST, "THE BERT SHOW": I do, A.J. I agree with you. This is a critical time for Justin Bieber`s career. He knows he can`t give us another version of "My World" 2.0, 4.0, 5.0.
This has to be a whole new Justin Bieber with some staying power. And this song speaks directly to his fans with these lyrics, doesn`t it?
HAMMER: Yes. I think it does. Do you think though he has the longevity moving forward like, say, a Justin Timberlake based on what you`re hearing?
HOBBY: I do. I really think so. You know, Justin Bieber came up here in Atlanta, and his mentor is Usher. He`s got an incredible crew we know working around him.
And you know, Scooter Braun, his manager, very smart guy. And he surrounded himself with the best of the best in the music industry.
HAMMER: Yes.
HOBBY: They know where they`re taking his career.
HAMMER: Well, we wish him all the best. Good luck, Biebs. Jenn Hobby, thank you.
Now, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Is Miley getting married? Miley Cyrus reveals her sparkler to the world. But is the 19-year-old actually engaged? What`s going on here? If she is engaged, could it be too soon? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the truth behind the Miley marriage mystery.
Well, there`s one less housewife in Beverly Hills. Yes, I`m here to tell you tonight Camille Grammer is leaving "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." What happened? Did Camille want out or was she kicked out? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox being sued by paparazzi for alleged attack. Comedian Gallagher suffers second heart attack in two weeks.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Lourdes up in smoke. The brand-new smoking hot picture of Madonna`s teen daughter caught on camera smoking is lighting up the Internet. The SHOWBIZ big debate, should Madonna, the queen of shock, really be surprised?
Also, Miley`s shocking tweet pic that is also lighting up the Internet. Miley Cyrus tweets a picture of a huge rock rocking her left hand. It`s the ring tweet that has everybody asking, is Miley engaged?
And the Kim Kardashian flour bomb controversy. Should Kim press charges against the woman who doused her with flour for wearing fur?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. We`ve got big news breaking today - is Miley getting married?
Well, Miley Cyrus is certainly lighting up Twitter with a giant rock on her ring finger. It`s all because of this Twit Pic of her well-manicured finger.
But no one could really look at her nails after being blinded by the bling. As you know, Miley has been dating "The Hunger Games" star, Liam Hemsworth on and off for about two years now. So is Miley really ready to walk down the aisle, or is she just teasing us?
I want to bring in Jonathan Kite. He is with me in New York tonight. You, of course, know him from the CBS hit, "Two Broke Girls" that returns on Monday, April 9th, with all-new episodes. Jonathan, I`ve got to know. This is very important. What do you think of the Miley potential marriage mess here?
JONATHAN KITE, ACTOR: I think that if I had that much money, I would wear diamonds as often as I possibly could.
HAMMER: Right.
KITE: I think it`s probably just a new purchase or something, maybe a gift, and - I mean, if I was that rich, you`ll know when I`m that rich. That`s when I will have met that level of success. You will see a random diamond ring on my finger.
HAMMER: You`ll be dripping in jewels?
KITE: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Well, you bring up the numbers, and I think it`s important to sort of break down the numbers as it plays into the possible engagement thing here. Miley worth at least $100 million.
Liam has just started his megabucks ride on "The Hunger Games" franchise money train. Miley is just 19 years old, Liam 22. But look, they could join forces. They could very well become the next uber-rich power couple.
Entertainment reporter, Jen Hobby is joining the big debate now from Atlanta. So Jenn, what do you think? Would you give this blessing, your blessing, to this union to bring Hollywood and these two potential titans together?
HOBBY: Now, they were a very cute couple, A.J., but I think they`re a little too young to be tying the knot. And I don`t think this is an engagement ring.
This ring accomplishes a couple of things for Miley. First of all, it puts the spotlight back on her, because the spotlight is really on Liam right now with "The Hunger Games" going on, I mean, $155 million this weekend. Everybody is watching him, so it directs attention back to her, and then she`s also sort of marking her territory, right, telling all those "Hunger Games" fans, "Hey, he`s mine."
HAMMER: Yes. Well, that could be it because I`m here to break news for you about the reality of this whole situation. Because just late today, Miley tweeted the fact she is not engaged.
HOBBY: Oh, darn it.
HAMMER: Oh, I`m sorry. I guess everybody is going to have to wait for wedding bells for Miley. But Jenn, you bring up a great point. Maybe she just wanted this news to be out after the big opening weekend for "The Hunger Games."
And here now, another young celeb making big burning news tonight. A smoking hot picture of Madonna`s daughter caught fire online today. Fifteen-year-old Lourdes caught on camera smoking.
Now, her mother, of course, has been shocking us for years. And in fact, Madonna`s new video for "Girl Gone Wild" even has an age restriction on YouTube in part because she`s smoking. Watch this.
(MUSIC)
And Madonna apparently had quit smoking years and years ago. Lourdes now busted smoking. And I`m actually surprised by this, because despite the fact that Madonna has a wild artistic side sometimes, she does present herself as someone who is very health conscious.
But Jonathan, should we really be shocked that Madonna`s daughter is now smoking up and looking herself like the good girl gone bad?
KITE: Number one, did anybody see the brand of cigarette? It could be bubblegum.
HAMMER: Could be. It had smoke coming from it. It would have been a sophisticated bubble gum.
KITE: It could have been powder due to the sugar. Obviously, I know a little bit about that. Also, could be research for a role. So maybe she`s playing a ballerina.
HAMMER: Interesting. Jenn, what`s your take on that? I hadn`t thought of those possibilities that Jonathan brings forward.
HOBBY: I had neither, but I think those are two strong possibilities. I also think that she`s 15 years old, and she wants to rebel against her mother. So my guess is that like most teenage girls, you pick something your mother hates. So my guess is this is the one thing Madonna has asked her not to do, so in rebellion, she`s smoking.
HAMMER: I see your point, but they seem so tight. They`re always together working on the fashion line together.
HOBBY: No way. No, she`s 15.
HAMMER: Or maybe it is the rebellion thing. She`s 15. Let`s move to from Lourdes lighting up to Kim K all fired up. These pictures went instantly viral last week.
Kim was doing interviews on a red carpet one minute, and the next thing she knew, attacked with flour. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: I told my makeup artists I needed a little bit more powder. I didn`t think they`d bring that much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I wonder if she came up with that line myself, you know, "I told my makeup artists I needed a little more powder. Not that much, though."
So Kim seemed pretty cool about the whole thing at that time. But now, tonight, Kim is reportedly considering pressing charges against the woman who attacked her.
Jonathan, I mean, seriously, do you think that`s a good move for Kim, who has all this power and all this money? And granted, it is an invasive feeling to have something like that happen to you, but what do you think?
KITE: I think I wonder what the charge would be, like assault and bakery or something, because I feel like you couldn`t - I don`t know. I mean, it wasn`t spray. She was able to recover in what looked like, with the magic of television, 30 seconds.
HAMMER: No kidding, right?
KITE: Or that old, change into Superman in a phone booth. I think there - no harm, no foul. And that`s not inviting anybody to flour bomb me.
But I`m just saying it was something that I rumored may have been for a prank show or something. I saw something about that.
HAMMER: Right. Well, all the buzz is it was because she wears fur, and it was -
KITE: Yes, that type of an attack, but nothing permanent.
HAMMER: Nothing permanent. It certainly is not like red paint, which was a prior use of, you know, attack on people wearing fur. The woman who flour bombed Kim happens not to be PETA activist. PETA, of course, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It`s that group.
But they just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they will be defending the activist if she wishes against Kim Kardashian. Jenn, it seems to be them`s fighting words. Do you think Kim should take legal action or just walk away from this whole thing and let it go away?
HOBBY: You know, it seems to me like she`s only pressing charges to stop any copycats from doing this again to her, because she`s very image- conscious and doesn`t want this happening over and over again.
So I think she`s pressing charges just to stop the copycats, but there are some critics who think that the whole thing was contrived on her own as a big publicity stunt. So if that`s the case, pressing charges would just sort of continue that charade.
HAMMER: Yes. And that wouldn`t actually happen, or maybe she could just stop wearing fur. Jenn Hobby, Jonathan Kite, great to have you both here.
Be sure to catch "Two Broke Girls" on CBS when it returns with all-new episodes on April 9th.
So what do you think of Kim Kardashian being flour-bombed on the red carpet? This is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll, "Kim Kardashian Flour Bombing: Should she press charges?"
What do you think? You can vote at Hlntv.com/ShowbizTonight. You can E- mail us, too, our address, showbiztonight@HLNTV.com.
From flour-bombing to an entertainment bombshell - Jessica Simpson wants to be the new Lucille Ball. Did you see this? Well, there are brand-new reports that Jessica is remaking the classic sitcom, "I Love Lucy."
But here`s the big SHOWBIZ debate - could Jessica actually pull off such an iconic role?
Also, the explosive new scandal at Donald Trump`s Miss Universe pageant. A contestant gets booted for being transgender. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, should it really matter if a pageant contestant has changed sexes? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: James Cameron completes record-breaking solo dive in Mariana Trench. Tracey Gold speaks out about Kirk Cameron`s remarks labeled as anti-gay.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRACEY GOLD, ACTRESS: Kirk spoke his mind, but I want my voice of love and support to be louder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I finish talking? Can I finish talking? If we keep losing, and we keep losing because of faint ideas.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What concept have you had this entire time? Please, let us know - let us know how you`re a useful player, please.
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HAMMER: The women battle it out in the boardroom on "Celebrity Apprentice." And the former Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza proves she is not going down without a fight.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And we`ll get to the "Celebrity Apprentice" battle in just a moment.
But first, it`s a transgender beauty battle. An explosive controversy surrounding a contestant in the Miss Universe Canada pageant owned by Donald Trump.
A transgendered contestant has been booted from the competition. Now, the contestant, 23-year-old Jenna Talackova, was born male, had sex reassignment surgery when she was 19.
But pageant officials disqualified her saying the rules clearly state each contestant must be a naturally-born female. Now, Talackova says she`s seeking legal guidance while pageant officials flatly deny any discrimination.
Joining me now from Hollywood, Dayana Mendoza, who knows a thing or two about the pageant world having won Miss Universe back in 2008.
Dayana is also on this season of the "Celebrity Apprentice." It`s great to have you here.
DAYANA MENDOZA, MISS UNIVERSE 2008: A.J., thank you so much for having me. I`m very happy to have you here.
HAMMER: So let me read to you what the Miss Universe Organization is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. They`re saying about this controversy, "As with any competition, the Miss Universe pageant has rules which apply all of its franchises around the world. The rules currently state that all contestants must be naturally-born females."
Now, Dayana, you obviously would not have won Miss Universe had you not followed the rules, but do you think maybe it`s time for the organizers to step back and perhaps re-evaluate the rules that keep out transgendered competitors?
MENDOZA: You know, again, they just said it. They are the ones that made the rules. I can only imagine as a human being what she`s going through.
HAMMER: Right.
MENDOZA: I was also a part of a beauty pageant. I went through the Miss Universe. She`s obviously having to go through different things, experiences in her life.
And then I will just care more as a human being on that side that this is not something that will stop her from accomplishing her goals and making her dreams happening, which is what keeps her going and makes her life - makes her be who she is and have a passion for life.
HAMMER: Yes. Maybe this will just push her even harder to get what she wants out of life. But you`ve gotten to know Donald Trump certainly through "Celebrity Apprentice," through Miss Universe. Do you think he would ever push for that kind of a rule change?
MENDOZA: I`m not sure. I`m not the one that can judge the situation. Again, as I said, I can`t imagine what she`s going through and how hurtful that must be for her, for somebody that`s been fighting so much for it.
And she was there and she almost - actually, she got it. And we can all see she`s a beautiful, beautiful girl. Again, I just hope that this is not something that will start bringing her down. I hope, as you just said, it will make her stronger.
HAMMER: Well, listen, Donald spared you last night on "Celebrity Apprentice." I was pulling for you ladies. You didn`t win the competition. The women on your team, however, seem to be gunning for you, especially Aubrey on the show last night.
But I understand, Dayana, you have a big bone on to pick with comedian Lisa Lampanelli. What happened?
MENDOZA: Well, it is funny in the way that I understand she`s a comedian and I understand what she does. I understand that in her own standup comedy, she talks about razzies(ph) in different ways.
I respect that fact. Everybody is allowed to have their own opinions. I also think that there`s a line to cross. But when she starts hitting on a whole culture, I think that`s when it gets over the line.
HAMMER: Got it. Well, Dayana, another reality star, Camille Grammer, is not going to be returning "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" for the third season. We all want to know why.
Also, Rihanna reveals baring it all actually made her feel better about her body. A woman busted into Simon Cowell`s home this weekend while the "X Factor" star was right there. That tops the buzz today.
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(voice-over) Simon`s scary break-in. A woman has just been charged with burglary for breaking into Simon Cowell`s home and threatening him with a brick.
According to prosecutors, the 29-year-old woman also meant to inflict grievous bodily harm on Simon by busting into his London home. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed that around 10:30, Saturday night, Cowell was watching TV in his bedroom and heard a loud bang coming from his bathroom.
His staff called police and they allegedly found the suspect hiding in a wardrobe with a brick. She`ll be back in court on June 12th.
Rihanna`s stripping secrets. Rihanna has revealed that facing her fear of baring all has actually made her feel better about herself.
In a brand-new interview with "Women`s Fitness" magazine, Rihanna confesses that taking it all off ultimately boosted her confidence, "The more I got naked, the more comfortable I felt. I just had to face my fear. You always find something wrong. You always find something you`re uncomfortable with. It was just knowing my body."
No more cameras for Camille. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Camille Grammer is saying goodbye to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." After two seasons on Bravo show, she did not come to an agreement with producers for season three.
A source tells "People" magazine, she wasn`t willing to expose her personal life anymore.
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Back with Dayana Mendoza. All right. So Dayana, after two seasons, Camille Grammer, one of our favorite stars from that show - she is out. Reportedly, she didn`t want to expose her personal life anymore.
I think Camille obviously made a name for herself on the show. Were you as surprised as I was to hear she was out of it and not going to be doing it again?
MENDOZA: I am surprised, and God bless her for that, for making that decision. I don`t know how it would be to have cameras all over you the whole time watching your life.
I did it with the "Celebrity Apprentice." I wouldn`t relate as much with them because they`re not watching me eat and having, you know, my lifestyle so much out there.
I wasn`t pretty much doing - selling my soul to the world, I will say it that way. "The Apprentice" is a completely different show and I`m working for a charity.
But I mean, it`s her decision, and if she couldn`t get into an agreement with the producers, again, God bless her. Congratulations to her and I hope that she`s happy for that change.
HAMMER: Sure. But it`s interesting because even though "Celebrity Apprentice" is different, the cameras aren`t in your house, what I hear from so many people who have been on any kind of a reality show is once you get used to the cameras being around, you kind of let your guard down and stuff you wouldn`t ever want on TV for everybody to see winds up on TV. Has that been your experience at all as you`ve seen this season of "Celebrity Apprentice" unfold?
MENDOZA: Well, there is definitely a tension that you have on top of you the whole time when the cameras are out there and you don`t have a line to say or something specific is pretty much you out there working for the way - on the way that you do and basically on your own honesty. And again, Camille`s decision on doing this is a separate way.
HAMMER: Whole different thing.
MENDOZA: She has her followers. She has - this is totally different. She has her followers. She has her fans, just like at "Celebrity Apprentice" with Teresa Giudice, which is also a housewife of New Jersey.
(CROSS TALK)
MENDOZA: I`m sure - should she leave that show, it would be a huge deal.
HAMMER: Absolutely. I`ve got to up wrap it there. It`s great to have you here though, Dayana. And keep up the good work on "Celebrity Apprentice."
MENDOZA: Thank you for having me.
HAMMER: Which you can see Sunday nights on NBC. Moving on now to "I Love Jessica"? Jessica Simpson about to remake the classic sitcom, "I Love Lucy"?
Yes, she`s famous for being ditzy kind of like Lucille Ball was on her show. But SHOWBIZ dares to ask, could Jessica actually pull off such an iconic role? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
This is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Aerosmith announces summer tour, kicking off June 16 in Minneapolis. SHOWBIZ first look: Anna Sophia Robb as a young Carrie Bradshaw in "The Carrie Diaries."
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HAMMER: Perfect. A classic scene from "I Love Lucy." Love it. So is "I Love Lucy" about to be remade as "I Love Jessica"? Can you actually picture for a moment Jessica Simpson as Lucille Ball?
Well, I`m going to help you out here if you can`t picture it. Both famous for being ditzy, both beautiful, both very funny.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal that brand-new reports say Jessica is actually talking about developing an "I Love Lucy" inspired show.
With me in New York tonight, Jonathan Kite, who is on a smash hit sitcom, a great show on CBS, "Two Broke Girls."
I actually think this would be great casting, you know, Jessica Simpson in this type of role. We have to remember Jessica Simpson once asked if tuna is fish or chicken, which is a kind of a classic Lucy type of a thing.
Jessica, however, has since come a very long way. She runs a very successful fashion empire. Do you think she could pull off reprising such an iconic role? Is she the one?
KITE: You know, I think give her a shot. I mean, honestly, actors dream of fulfilling parts their entire life. When you`re growing up, you look at something iconic.
And I think Lucy is probably a hero to a lot of men, but you know, more specifically, women in paving the way that she did. And I think if that is the case, I`d like an audition for the chocolate in that scene.
HAMMER: The chocolate?
KITE: I can play chocolate pretty well.
HAMMER: Perfect. Well, good. Yes, exactly. And I`m trying to picture, though, Erik Johnson, of course, her NFL-playing husband, saying, "Jessica." I don`t know if they`re going to work that in. I`m just throwing on out my ideas. We`ll see if that actually happens. Great to have you here.
KITE: Thank you so much for having me.
HAMMER: Good luck with the chocolate gig, man. Let us know if it happens.
KITE: Please let me know.
HAMMER: You can catch Jonathan on "Two Broke Girls" on CBS. New episodes return on April 9th.
Well, from the new Lucy to the new Susan Boyle?
(SINGING)
This shy teenage boy with a voice of gold. Why everyone is saying Simon Cowell`s "Britain`s Got Talent" has just found the next Susan Boyle.
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HAMMER: I want you to check out this SHOWBIZ viral video that`s being called the brand-new Susan Boyle moment. A very shy, a very weight- conscious teenager, Jonathan Antoine, was being treated like a joke by Simon Cowell on "Britain`s Got Talent" this weekend, that is until Simon heard him sing. Watch this.
(SINGING)
HAMMER: Wow. Well, after that performance, Simon called Jonathan a future star. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
"DR. DREW" is next with an in-depth look at the man who shot Trayvon Martin. Who is the man who has the nation in an uproar?
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